Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to David Cerda. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

David , appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

Hell in a Handbag Productions is dedicated to the preservation, exploration and celebration of the art of camp and parody via theatrical productions. We recognize camp as an aesthetic created by the gay/queer sub-culture and we strive to propagate camp’s subversive nature and horrifying truths.

Ugly is beautiful and ordinary is grotesque in the camp universe. Nothing is off limits. Handbag shows are a gathering place for the queer community and allies. We promote shared experiences of our queer history.

We want audience members to feel like they are more than just audience members, but an integral part of the company.

I started out with a theater company called Sweetback Productions in 1997 as an actor. They had produced a wildly successful version of Plan 9 From Outer Space and I love it so much because it celebrated the elements of those low budget films that made them so wonderful.

The Artistic Director, Kelly Anchors encouraged me to write when we’d talk about possible future shows. My first produced play was a Russ Meyers parody called SuperPussy Vixens, Go Faster, KILL!,  a late night show, and  eventually wrote a musical parody of ‘Carrie’, based on the DePalma film, which became a cult show in Chicago and ran for 18 months. I was hooked

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I was introduced to theater when Kelly Anchors, who worked at Starbucks, mentioned to my friend, Ludwig- that they were planning to adapt the film Female Trouble to the stage. Ludwig told her about his friend who loved that film, and I was cast!

I was a college dropout. I did some theater in high school and wanted to explore it in college but I was too afraid and had some other demons that were beginning to surface. I started to get deep into the Chicago nightlife scene and expressed myself through my looks.

Sweetback was a crash course in theater for me before there were pillows and mints for actors. It wasn’t uncommon for us to rehearse until 1am during a tech performance and if you didn’t like it, you were advised to go elsewhere.

The great thing about Sweetback and Kelly and Mike McKune is that they embraced all types of humans as far as casting and I got to play the parts I had always dreamed of playing- like Joan Crawford.

Once I decided to break away from Sweetback, a group of friends and I formed Hell in a Handbag Productions, and after 21 years we’re still here.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Our company specializes in campy comedy with heart and I always love it when someone tells me how Handbag and our shows have gotten them through difficult times in their lives.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

We strive to bring various queer communities and allies together to laugh and maybe understand each other better. Particularly in a social climate where desperate opportunists are using drag performers as political scapegoats. There will always be a need for companies like Hell in a Handbag.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.handbagproductions.org/
• Instagram: @handbagchicago
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HandbagChicago
• Twitter: @handbagtheater
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@airpockets/videos

Image Credits
All photos by Rick Aguilar Studios